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Gambia: Casamance Timber Trade Banned
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FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
12 March 2008
Posted to the web 12 March 2008
Modou Jonga
The trading of timber from the Casamance region of Senegal is banned.
According to reliable reports, the Senegalese Government has banned the export of timber for more than one month now. Units of Senegalese Military Officers are posted at Kurreh near Bullock in the Foni Brefet and Mamudat, to curtail the trading of timber from Casamance to The Gambia.
Reports indicate that the ban on the trade of timber is a move by the Senegalese government to curtail the main source of finance for the Rebel groups, who exploit the timber trade to fund their activities.
Numerous truck loads of timber bound to the country were arrested by the Senegalese security officers, at the border. Speaking to this reporter, a timber trader said the ban has seriously affected their businesses and that their trucks loaded with timber are intercepted by the Senegalese state security agents. They explained that despite the enforcement of the ban on the border, they at times smuggle timber into the country. They lamented that the custom fees levied on the timber from Casamance is D3000, which they said is expensive.
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While noting that the ban on the timber trade from Casamance has rendered the price of timber in the country extremely expensive, timber traders said a truck load of timber from Casamance cost D25, 000, which in the country costs more than D40, 000. They regard the trading of timber at the moment as costly, risky and tedious. Attempts by this reporter to seek the views of the Senegalese border guards failed to bear fruit.
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